Airflow diffuser for use with a forced-air space heater and a forced-air space heater using the same

A forced-air space heater comprising:

• a housing;
• a combustion chamber disposed within said housing, said combustion chamber having an input port and a discharge port;
• a mounting plate disposed at said input port;
• a unitary airflow diffuser secured to said mounting plate, said airflow diffuser having a hub, with a central aperture, and a plurality of spurs radially extending from said hub, wherein each of said spurs includes a tapered faceplate and a primary vane extending from an edge of said faceplate so as to form a closed angle with a side of said faceplate;
• means for delivering a supply of fuel through the central aperture into said combustion chamber;
• means for drawing ambient air into said housing and directing the air toward and through said airflow diffuser;
• and
• means for igniting the fuel in said combustion chamber.

A forced-air space heater comprising:

• a housing;
• a combustion chamber disposed within said housing, said combustion chamber having an input port and a discharge port;
• a mounting plate having a primary central aperture and a plurality of secondary apertures formed therein for directing air, wherein said mounting plate is secured to the input port of said combustion chamber;
• a unitary airflow diffuser having a plurality of spurs radially extending from a perimeter of a central aperture formed in said airflow diffuser, wherein said airflow diffuser is secured to said mounting plate such that the primary central aperture formed in said mounting plate and the central aperture formed in said air diffuser are substantially coaxial;
• means for delivering a supply of fuel through said primary central aperture and said central aperture into said combustion chamber;
• means for drawing ambient air into said housing and directing the air toward and through said airflow diffuser;
• and
• means for igniting the fuel in said combustion chamber.

A unitary airflow diffuser for use with a combustion chamber in a forced-air space heater, comprising:

• a hub having an aperture for receiving a nozzle;
• a plurality of spurs radially extending from said hub, wherein each of said spurs includes (i) a tapered faceplate substantially coplanar with said hub, (ii) a primary vane extending from an edge of said faceplate so as to form a closed angle with a side of said faceplate, said primary vanes having an edge substantially parallel to said faceplate, and (iii) a substantially triangular secondary vane extending from an opposite edge of said faceplate so as to form a closed angle with an opposite side of said faceplate;
• a mounting tab extending from the substantially parallel edge of each of a plurality of said primary vanes, each of said mounting tabs being substantially parallel to said hub for securing said airflow diffuser to an input port of the combustion chamber;
• an igniter bracket extending from said hub, said igniter bracket having an aperture for receiving an igniter;
• a sensor bracket extending from at least one of said secondary vanes, said sensor bracket having an aperture for receiving a sensor;
• and
• a deflector tab extending at an angle from at least one of said primary vanes toward the aperture in said hub.

A unitary airflow diffuser for use with a combustion chamber in a forced-air space heater, comprising:

• nozzle receptor means for receiving a nozzle;
• a plurality of radially disposed primary deflector means for redirecting airflow around said airflow diffuser;
• and
• mounting means for securing said airflow diffuser to an input port of the combustion chamber;
• wherein upstream of said primary deflector means, the airflow diffuser further comprises secondary deflector means for redirecting airflow past said airflow diffuser.

A forced-air space heater comprising:

• a housing;
• a combustion chamber disposed within said housing, said combustion chamber having an input port and a discharge port;
• a mounting plate disposed at said input port;
• unitary airflow diffuser means for redirecting airflow within said housing, said airflow diffuser means being secured to said mounting plate, said airflow diffuser means having a central aperture, and including a plurality of radially disposed primary defector means for deflecting airflow;
• means for delivering a supply of fuel through the central aperture into said combustion chamber;
• means for drawing ambient air into said housing and directing the air toward and through said airflow diffuser;
• and
• means for igniting the fuel in said combustion chamber;
• wherein said unitary airflow diffuser means further includes, upstream of said primary deflector means, secondary deflector means for deflecting airflow.

A unitary airflow diffuser for use with a combustion chamber in a forced-air space heater, comprising:

• nozzle receptor means for receiving a nozzle;
• a plurality of radially disposed primary deflector means for redirecting airflow past said airflow diffuser, and, disposed upstream of said primary deflector means, secondary deflector means for redirecting airflow past said airflow diffuser;
• mounting means for securing said airflow diffuser to an input port of the combustion chamber;
• igniter receptor means for receiving an igniter;
• sensor receptor means for receiving a sensor;
• and
• tertiary deflector means for redirecting airflow past said airflow diffuser, said tertiary deflector means extending from at least one of said primary deflection means.